Thursday, April 7, 2016

‘Wrestling Jerusalem,’ a Solo Show and Act of Faith

NEW YORK---Aaron Davidman’s “Wrestling Jerusalem,” at 59E59 Theaters, is an act of faith. A smartly written solo show about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, it trusts in the power of the human voice and the capacity of the human heart. It believes that listening to one another’s stories can change the way we move through the world. That, really, is its reason for being. So it is intensely frustrating that Mr. Davidman and his director, Michael John Garcés, get in their own way throughout this puzzlingly paced production, whose 17 characters — Israelis, Palestinians, a sprinkling of American Jews — need far more room to breathe than they’re allowed. [link]